Your words, like ice... They chill my beating heart

I belonged with you, I thought

But it was a mirror of tears

===

            ”They have moved, Colonel.” Lieutenant Colonel Jung Chiyeol reported to his commander as his eyes still glued to the screen of the equipment which showed the movement of three members of Stray team.

            ”Where to?” Colonel Choi Jinu asked his vice-commander as he finished the last member of The Sleepwalkers whom they have fight with.

            ”To the hill at the north, Colonel.”

            ”They must have something to do there. Let’s catch them, Chiyeol-ah.”

            Lieutenant Colonel Jung Chiyeol nodded as he saved the equipment then he used his ash magic to create a big owl to bring both his commander and him to the hill where their enemies headed to.

            While at another place in the same time...

            Kim Hanbin together with Kim Jiwon and Kim Donghyuk kept running to their aimed place without rest. Once in a while, Donghyuk whom running behind looked back to make sure that none who came after them. That also applied to both Kim Hanbin and Kim Jiwon who run side by side at the front.

            ”You must have felt it, Hanbin-ah.” Donghyuk asked his leader from behind.

            ”Ah... one, no. Two of them have found us. They came after us too.” Hanbin answered without looked back at Donghyuk, still kept his speed of running.

            ”Should we...”

            ”Aniyo.” Hanbin cut off Jiwon’s words before the latter could finished it. ”We don’t have the time to fight them. We must...”

            ”You must... what, kids?”

            The three remained members of Stray team stopped as they saw black smoke formed a huge skull appeared in front of them, blocked their way to the hill. The next thing which appeared behind that huge black skull was the pair of highest ranked members from the strongest division of Seleas Military Unit, 1st Division – Black Skull, descended from the ash big owl.

            ”That’s not your business, Ahjussi.” Kim Jiwon answered as he looked at the two figures who stood several meters away from his place.

            ”Young men nowadays were really have no respect to the elders.” Lieutenant Colonel Jung Chiyeol responded as he sent his sharp gaze towards the three.

            ”Let them be, Chiyeol-ah.” Colonel Choi Jinu tried to calm his vice-commander. He showed his smile to the three as he took three steps forward. ”This ahjussi just want to know what’s up there, kids. That hill is far enough from the old magic circuit, yet... instead of helping your comrades down there.” He paused as his finger pointed at the battle ground which spread out below their place. ”The three of you choose to go up there.” He continued as he moved his finger pointed at the hill where located just right after their place. ”You must have something to do there, right?”

            That ahjussi was really gave me chill, Hanbin-ah! Jiwon said through his telepathy to his leader.

            And they won’t let us pass them too, leader. Donghyuk added.

            Kim Jiwon eyed his leader who didn’t answer to his complaint or give him a command. The leader of Stray team still looked so calm, expressionless, and seemed didn’t have an intention to reply to Colonel Jinu’s question or his own member’s. Then Jiwon sent a brief look at Donghyuk. As Donghyuk looked back at Jiwon and gave him a knowing look, Jiwon nodded slowly.

            Leave them to me and Donghyuk, Hanbin-ah. You must go there to protect her. Jiwon asked his leader through his telepathy.

            Even we didn’t know how long we could hold both of them, at least... you’ve out of this place, leader. Donghyuk completed Jiwon’s demand to their leader.

            Hanbin sighed as he heard his team member’s request. Actually, he didn’t want to leave his two members to fight with the two high ranked soldiers of Black Skull Division. Unlike their previous opponents, the two men before them were far too stronger than them. And Hanbin knew, that both Jiwon and Donghyuk already knew that fact too. But the two had made that option. To fight, and let Hanbin went to the top of the hill.

            I leave them to both of you. Come after me once you have finished them, ara? Hanbin said through his telepathy as he closed his eyes for a while then opened it again.

            Don’t worry, bro. Jiwon replied.

            See you there, leader. Donghyuk added.

            Hanbin removed his left hand glove then positioned his left hand palm forward. ”Reflect it away, Blade of Divine Mirror.” Hanbin summoned his silver demon. ”Blade of Divine Mirror: Perfect Refrain.” Multiple Hanbin created after the leader of Stray team finished the summoning of his silver demon. The clone surrounded Jiwon and Donghyuk, together with the two high soldiers of Black Skull too.   

            ”You tried to confuse us, kids?” Colonel Jinu questioned the young men in front of him as he gave his vice-commander a sign to eliminate the clone.

            The vice-commander of Black Skull gave his short nod to his leader as his answer towards the leader’s request. Soon after that, he unsheathed his sword. As from the tip of his sword, grey ash came out continuously, then formed into multiple ropes which moved towards each clone of Hanbin and tied them up.

            ”This is the only thing you could do, kid?” Lieutenant Colonel Jung Chiyeol asked the untied Jiwon and Donghyuk with a lazy look.

            ”Are you sure... you have catch the right person, Sir?” Jiwon asked the vice-commander back with a small smirk on his lips.

            ”What are you...” He couldn’t finish his words as the clone which got tied up with his ash ropes turned into mirrors then crashed into pieces.

            ”Come! Black Skull!” Colonel Jinu called his black demon, then the next thing appeared in front of Jiwon and Donghyuk was a huge black smoke formed in the scariest skull which they ever seen. ”Erase them, Black Skull.” Colonel Jinu commanded the huge black skull to attack his opponent.

            As the huge black skull approached both Jiwon and Donghyuk in fast move, there was no time for the two to discuss a way to confront their enemy’s attack.

            ”Tie them tight, Hell Steel Chain!” Multiple chains came out from behind Jiwon’s back then came towards the black skull, attacked it at the same time. But for Jiwon’s surprise, his steel chain got weathered as it touched the black smoke which formed that huge skull.  

            ”Ice Dance act.07: Woven-Ice Shield.” Donghyuk generates a protective hexagon-shaped ice barrier by finely weaving threads of ice from the tip of his white blade for saving his friend.

            ”Thanks, Donghyuk-ah.” Jiwon thanked his teammate as both of them stepped backward to create gap between them and the black skull.

            ”Eoh, you must careful, Jiwon-ah.” Donghyuk replied without looked at his friend. His eyes still gazed at the huge black skull which still struggled to break the ice barrier. Jiwon who realized Donghyuk’s quietness, looked at the latter with a curious look.

            ”What’s wrong, Donghyuk-ah?”

            ”Let’s do “that”, Jiwon-ah.”

            ”Mwo?”

            ”Look at that.” Donghyuk paused as he pointed at the black skull which still unsuccessfully broke the ice shield. ”With that combination, I think that we will win against him.”

            Jiwon considered Donghyuk’s idea as he eyed their opponent. He looked at the man who has summoned that huge black skull in silent. That man stood still in his place, expressionless, looked lazily at both Jiwon and Donghyuk. That annoying man didn’t do something which made Jiwon got sick.

            ”If you say so.”

            Unless because of his perfect masquerade, the two young boys in front of him won’t showed their ultimate attack. A small smirk created on Colonel Jinu’s lips as his eyes caught the sight of Jiwon and Donghyuk started their combined attack.

            ”Frozen Hell Chain: Endless Gate.”

            Jiwon’s steel chain circled the huge black skull then turned into prison-like trails. The space within the trail was then encased in a large pillar of ice, trapping the opponent.

            ”No light, Black Skull.” Colonel Jinu chanted right after the attack owned by his opponents closed the black skull thoroughly.

            Both Jiwon and Donghyuk couldn’t move as their surroundings turned into black. It happened so fast. The second after they launched their combined attack toward the huge black skull, the place where they stood at like got swallowed up into a blackout. But, seconds later... both of them knew that it was their opponent’s doing. As the light came back again, both Jiwon and Donghyuk immediately lied down to the ground. Slowly but surely, their body nerves got paralyzed. Donghyuk couldn’t utter any kind of words as his eyes saw his hand got wrinkled, lost of its life. The same state happened too in Jiwon’s case. He felt his life force got out each second.

            I’m sorry, I can’t fulfill my promise, Hanbin-ah. Jiwon said to himself as his eyesight got blurred, as he couldn’t hear anything anymore. Then, his eyes closed, his heartbeat stopped.

A single tear flew from Donghyuk’s left eye as he saw the end of his partner. As his eyes got heavier than before, suddenly his dreamed girl’s beautiful face appeared. Then he remembered how he left her alone at his previous battle ground. I wish that I could see your beautiful smile again, Chaeyoung-ah. With his last wish, he breathed out his last breath. Slept for eternity.

Colonel Jinu approached the two soldiers of The Sleepwalkers whom had died. ”You two are 100 years too early to win against me, kids.” Then he looked at the high hill before him. ”I hope you finish it faster, Chiyeol-ah.”

===

Crystalise Main Stage

Old Magic Circuit Site

Jiyong couldn’t move even a single movement, he felt like being frozen in the grey-pinkish surroundings which enclosed him from all sides. No blind spot and no possibility to escape. Was that his ending? That question kept ringing in his mind. As the spherical formation of innumerable blade fragments got nearer, Jiyong saw something that he never seen before.

            What is that? Jiyong asked himself.

===

            He’s like stood on the high place over a dense forest. Quiet situation. He saw a tall young man, dressed in a grey vest over a black long-sleeved dress shirt, black pants and plain black shoes. On his left hand, lied a long black coat. 

            ”Nozel.” A woman’s voice called that tall figure, a voice which Jiyong knew so well, his black demon’s voice.

That tall figure turned around to find the owner of that voice. His long light-blue hair swayed as some of it stayed on his right shoulder. His bangs are parted to the right and has rather neat hair. A pair of dark blue orbs inside sharp eyes. In short word, he has handsome face features. Then he turned back into his previous state.

            ”What are you doing here? The elders have waited for us. Let’s...”

            ”You can go first without me.” His deep voice cut Licht’s words before she could finished her words. He said that words without looked at Licht.

            ”But...”

            Licht’s voice trailed off as she saw the handsome man before her didn’t give her any kind of attention. The man whom titled as her fiancé never left his gaze from the battle ground which spread out below their place, in the vast dense forest before their eyes. A loud bang got heard suddenly, broke the stillness of the battle ground. As the bang sound ended, the green forest clouded in pinkish color all around it. A harsh wind swept all the enemies, defeated them without mercy. A satisfied smile created on Nozel’s lips as he saw that sudden attack at the battle ground.

            I never win against her in your eyes... moreover in your heart.

===

Jiyong’s eyes widened as he heard that melancholic voice came from his black demon. Suddenly, all the things Jiyong could saw turned into black as he felt sudden fear crawled up inside his heart. Violet light appeared in front of his eyes, then he saw his black demon figure stood before him. She looked at him with sad eyes.

            ”Licht.” Jiyong called his black demon.

            ”Jiyong-ah.”

            Only his name which Jiyong could heard from his black demon. As the harsh wind inside the cherry blossom shaped blade started to pierce the almighty black thunder whip of Jiyong’s, another memory appeared in front of his eyes.

===

            A female with long white-silver hair, dressed in long-sleeved black coat with a hasped collar. She rolled the sleeves up to her elbows. The coat has two rows of gold buttons on the front, dark red details including the shoulder epaulettes, which has a fourragère passing under and around her right side. Along with that, she wore a pair of white gloves, an armband on her left arm, and a black web belt with a gold waist-plate. A black Sam Browne belt passes diagonally over her right shoulder. She also wore the standard black skirt, and ankle-high black boots. She sat on a steel chair, her hands got tied at the back of the chair. Her head hung low. Bruises painted on her beautiful face, her hands also her legs.

            ”You know what your mistake, Sergeant Aimer?” An old, high-ranked official asked that girl in his deep yet serious voice.